Improvising/playing cleanly

**MarkRhodes** · 03-01-2017, 10:49 AM

I think a lot about something Charlie Parker said: "It's just music. It's trying to play clean and looking for the pretty notes."

**unknownguitarplayer** · 03-01-2017, 10:55 PM

For jazz horn players, even well-known pros, it's not unusual to continue to study the instrument with classical teachers (google Larry Teal or Joe Allard, for example). Playing the instrument well and improvising seem to be separate, or at least separable, issues.

Guitar, maybe not so much. We tend to try to kill both birds with one stone. We're at a disadvantage, since there isn't the extensive pedagogy for guitar that there is for saxophone or trumpet (classical guitar is a bit of a detour from the plectrum route), and there aren't all that many non-jazz "plectrum masters" to study with.

Discussions here often recommend books like Klose or Arbans "for sight reading", but those are the very books that even pro horn players use for warm-up exercises or technical study.

As far as the topic question, perhaps addressing improvising and playing cleanly as separate issues would be worth a try?

**Vladan** · 03-02-2017, 05:12 AM

The one and only answer: the end purpose of music is in listening, as opposed to playing. You have to set your mind and goal on sounding good, as opposed to playing some worthy music. Matter of character. Some people can do it, some can not.

Hard core pros know the trade and it is "do not piss the boss (audience)". There are hundreds of gigs per year, once in a while inspiration will strike, people will remember, call them genius, ... hopefully it will be recorded ... out of tune whole gigs, songs and solos will be forgotten ... in the meantime they play safe. They have many tricks in their bags, so they can mix and match to avoid monotony, but they do not really reach out.

Grahambop and M-Ster sound good, M-Ster particularly excels in clean determination at the level only the rarest of masters are able to present (although recently I managed to spot some flaws even in his attempts. Sorry, that's the way I am.), but at the time of recording I don't think they were reaching from what they've practiced "the night before", not too far at least.

**grahambop** · 03-02-2017, 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by Vladan

Grahambop and M-Ster sound good, M-Ster particularly excels in clean determination at the level only the rarest of masters are able to present (although recently I managed to spot some flaws even in his attempts. Sorry, that's the way I am.), but at the time of recording I don't think they were reaching from what they've practiced "the night before", not too far at least.

To be honest, my 'conscious' mind is a bit of a blank when I'm recording, it's like the 'red light' is on so I just play and something comes out. No doubt a lot of it is based on phrases I've used when practising. But there are usually a few things when I listen back, that I can't tell where they came from. Maybe those bits are the 'real' improvisation, I don't know.

**Doublea A** · 03-02-2017, 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by goldenwave77

(1) Howard Roberts observed that a lot of guitar players, and some surprisingly big names (unnamed), have timing issues with right/left hand coordination. The tip-off is hearing "thwack" when they play...indicating the note has not been fretted quite cleanly, before it's played.

(2) I also believe a lot of bad articulation comes from the idea of "picking" itself. I had a friend who spent 8 mos. completely re-tooling his classical fingersytle playing, as his teacher, a world class player, said he was plucking too much---rather than just lifting through the strings, with very light pressure.

I play with a very thin pick, 38 mm, a la Robert Conti....I also strive to just move the pick up and down (predominantly)...in other words, the string is just getting in the way of the pick---not the reverse.

For those who are athletic, I liken it to "hitting through" a golf ball, or tennis ball, or baseball...or kicking a soccer ball...we don't kick, or hit AT the ball, but kick or hit through it....the string just happens to be there.

(3) I think a lot of articulation really ought to come from the fretting hand.

(4) Finally, I believe watching the fret board is harmful...the actual visual image prevents you from playing fluidly, or quickly for that matter, and interferes with hearing what you're playing, which is MUCH better feedback...I kind of noticed this while doing some picking exercises, as I was watching TV....I played much better. I also read about various players playing in the dark, e.g. Barney Kessel.

I like the athletic analogy. I love sports. I love to golf. To use a golf analogy from Tiger Woods (even non-golf fans have heard of Tiger Woods), he was asked "what is the biggest mistake made by amateur golfers ?"

His responses was (I am paraphrasing) an amateur golfer will be faced with a choice of either 250 risky shot over water or a safer 150 over dry land. 9 times out of 10, the amateur tries the risky shot. He/She has never hit a ball that far over water. What makes them think that today is the day that this will magically happen ?

He/She needs to practice a shot over and over on the range until it is mastered. Once it is mastered and perfected, then by all means, take your shot to the golf course. Until then, play the shot you know you can make. You will enjoy the game more, and continually have something new to strive for.

What does this mean for us musicians ? I equate Tiger's golf course with our stage and his Driving Range with our Practice session. Perfect your shot/lines or phrases while practicing, then, take them to the stage and watch your ball/confidence fly. This will help you enjoy the game/stage more and you will continually have something new to strive for.

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